Derick Davare, 32, of Ellwood City, Pennsylvania, admitted in federal court to flooding the streets with lethal fentanyl and arming himself with stolen, untraceable pistols—crimes that carry a mandatory minimum of ten years behind bars. Davare pleaded guilty to four federal counts, including conspiracy to distribute 400 grams or more of fentanyl and unlawful possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon.
The charges stem from a sprawling criminal run that began around 2015 and stretched through October 22, 2018, when Davare was caught in possession of an FN Herstal Five-Seven 5.7-caliber pistol and a Sig-Sauer P226 9mm with its serial number scratched off—a hallmark of trafficked weapons. He also held rounds of 5.7 x .28 and 9mm ammunition, in addition to possessing more ammo nearly two months earlier on August 28, 2018.
Federal law bars anyone convicted of a felony—defined as a crime punishable by more than one year in prison—from owning or handling firearms or ammunition. Davare, already a convicted felon, shattered that law with weapons in hand and poison on the streets. The fentanyl he helped distribute is a Schedule II controlled substance, a synthetic opioid up to 50 times stronger than heroin and responsible for thousands of overdose deaths across Pennsylvania.
U.S. District Judge Arthur J. Schwab accepted the guilty plea and set sentencing for September 20, 2019, at 9 a.m. Davare now faces a sentence of not less than ten years and up to life in federal prison, along with a potential fine of $15,500,000. Under federal sentencing guidelines, the final term will reflect the severity of the offenses and his criminal history.
The case was prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Brendan T. Conway and Marnie Sheehan-Balchon, who emphasized that no break will be given to those profiting from the opioid crisis and armed trafficking. This prosecution is part of a broader crackdown on drug networks enabled by illegally possessed weapons.
Investigation was led by the Organized Crime and Drug Enforcement Task Force (OCDETF), a federally funded fusion of federal and local agencies including the DEA, ATF, IRS-Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, Pennsylvania State Police, and multiple county and municipal departments. The task force’s coordinated reach dismantled Davare’s operation, underscoring the federal government’s push to choke off supply lines feeding the region’s drug epidemic.
Related Federal Cases
- Felon Domingo Vargas Caught With Heat in Philly · Pennsylvania
- Johnstown Gun Felon Lopez Gets 7½ Years · Pennsylvania
- Felon Norman Warren Pleads Guilty to Gun Law Violation · Pennsylvania
- Pittsburgh Felon Charles Howard III Faces Federal Gun & Drug Charges · Pennsylvania
- Erie Felon Pleads Guilty to Illegal Gun Possession · Pennsylvania
Key Facts
- State: Pennsylvania
- Agency: DOJ USAO
- Category: Drug Trafficking|Weapons|Organized Crime
- Source: Official Source ↗
🔒 Get the grimiest stories delivered weekly. Subscribe free →
Browse More
